Ink fountain



Oct. 29, 1929. c. G. PRITCHARD INK FOUNTAIN- 2 sheets-sheer 1 Filed May 20, 19247 wmz v uw Q Q. n l mww m I L am I l U Rh O @www um .sv O O u L m ////////////////|M//v//////,fM k .Q

INK oUNTAIN Filed May 20; 1927 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 29, 1929 UNrr s'raras FTENT OFFICE CARL G. PRTCHARD, OF HIRAM, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO HARRIS-SEYBOLD-POTTER COM- PANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE INK FOUNTAIN AppIicaton filed May 20,

My invention relates to inking mechanisms for printing-presses and more particularly to improvements in the construction and 0peration of the ink-fountains from which the inkis delivered to the inking rolls of the press in variably regulated quantities'.

The objects of my invention are, among other things, to provide an improved adjustable ink-fountain in which the fountain roll carrying the film of ink from the trough of the fountain to the oscillating ductor may be readily shifted with relation to the fountain body and ends as well as from thedoctor blade which is adjustably secured to the fountain by set screws with its transverse edge parallel with the periphery of the fountain roll. A further object is to provide a detachable coupling in the customary drive for the shaft of the fountain roll whereby the shifting of the fountain roll and shaft from the doctor blade may be easily made without moving or otherwise affecting thev fountain body. By my improvementsthe fountain roll may be swung away from its operative position with relation to the doctor blade and from the fountain so that all the parts are readily accessible for cleaning or for changing ink as well as to obtain a firm adjustment for the fountain roll with relation to the doctor bladeA without disturbing in any way the operating mechanism whereby the fountain-roll is intermittently rotated from the press itself.

Tith these and other objects in view, the invention comprises certain constructions hereinafter described and then particularly pointed out in the claims, and a preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. l is a plan view of the ink-fountain and its associated driving and shifting mechanisms; i

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken onthe line 2-2 of Fig. 1; l

Figs. 3 and 4 are detail end views looking from the left of Fig. 1 showing the fountain roll shifting mechanism in different positions;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation looking from the right of Fig. 1, and' shows in diagram- 1927. Serial No, 192,957.

matic form the inking rolls and drive from the press form-cylinder;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged end view of detail construction in the upper part of Fig. 5, certain parts being omitted for the sake of clearness.

Similar `numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, the framework 8 of the press supportsthe ink fountain 9 which holds the ink 10 (Fig. 6) to be applied to the fountain roll11 mounted on the shaft 12 which is suitably journalled in the eccentric bushings 13 and 14 integrally formed with the gears 15 vand 16 respectively which are located outside the vertical bracket members 17 and 18 on one side and bracket members 19 and 20 on the opposite side of the fountain roll 11. The rear bracket members 18 and 2O are prolonged to constitute the sides 21 and 22 of the fountain 9 to provide the trough for the ink 10. The bottom member 23 of the fountain 9 is inclined downwardly toward the fountain roll 11 (Fig. 6), and on its sloping surface the doctor blade 24 is slidingly secured by set screws 25 and 26 to provide adjustment for the blade 24. The forward edge of the doctor blade 24 is arranged in close parallelism with the periphery of the fountain roll 11 when the latter is in normal position as shown in Figs. 3 and 6.

To adjust the position of the doctor blade 24 relatively tothe 'fountain roll 11 I have provided a vertically disposed adjusting screw-bolt 27 having'its tip 28 bearing on the under side of the forward edge of the doctor blade 24. The screw-bolt 27 is threaded within the threaded bore of the cylindrical sleeve 29 suitably mounted in the bottom member 23 through which the setscrew 30 is threaded to bear upon the sleeve 29 to hold this doctor blade adjusting mechanism in any predetermined position.

Means are provided for shifting the fountain roll 11 bodily-away from and to-ward the doctor blade 24 which devices are best shown in Figs. 1,8 and 4': Pinned to the side 21 of the fountain body is the mutilated gear 31 having the handle 32 projecting therefrom, the gear 31 engaging the gear 15 (Figs. 3 and 4). The two gears 15 and 16 engage with the two pinions 33 and 34 respectively which are connected by the shaft 35 journalled in the bearings 36 and 37 integrally formed in the bracket members 18 and 2O (Figs. 2 and 6). Fig. 3 shows the fountain roll 11 in normal position with itsn periphery closely adjacent to the 'forward edge of the doctor blade 24. When the operator swings the handle 32 from its Fig. 3 to the Fig. 4 position as shown by the arrow in Fig. 4, the shaft 12 is shifted by the movement of the eccentric bushings 13 and 14 acting through the train of gears operatively connected with these bushings 13 and 14 so as to move the fountain roll 11 approximately in the path indicated'by the arrow in Fig. 4 to carry the periphery of the fountain roll 11 away from such doctor blade 24 to enable the roll 11 to be easily accessible for cleaning or other like purposes as well as for changing the ink in the fountain 9. The sliding pin 38 andl operating lever 39 mounted in the block 40 secured to the gear 15 enable the fountain roll 11 to be locked in either of its Fig. 3 or Fig. 4 positions as desired, or in any predetermined intermediate position for variable inking, since the pin 38 engages suitably located holes cut in the vertical bracket members 17 or 18 which together form the fountain roll cap. These variable locking positions with spaced stops for the pin 38 definitely fix the amount of variation of adjustment so that the operator may readily come back to the same hole and gauging point for the same amount of ink after the fountain has been opened up for cleaning or any other purpose.

Hand-operated means are provided intermittently to rotate the fountain roll 11: Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 the right end of shaft 12 has keyed thereto the ratchet 41 and journalled on the shaft 12 adjacent the ratchet 41 is the block 42 carrying the pivoted pawl 43 to engage the ratchet 41 and shaft 12 and by the handle 44 to intermittently revolve the fountain roll 11 inv the fountain 9. The spacing collar 45 is journalled on the shaft 12 between the bushing 14 and block 42.

Means are also provided for detachably coupling the fountain roll shaft 12 with the usual driv-erfor the fountain rollV 11 connected with the press so Vthat the shifting ofthe fountain roll 11 bodily away from the doctor blade 24 may be made through the movement of the handle 32 without disturbing the fountain roll driving mechanism operated from the press: Referring to Figs. 1 and 2`the bracket 46 fastened to the frame work 8 carries the bushing 47 in which is journalled'the short shaft 48 having its inner end closely adjacent to the shaft 12 andV in transverse alinement therewith. Slidably keyed to the inner end of the shaft 48 is the clutch sleeve 49 having a series of spacedapart square shaped sockets 50 adapted to be engaged by similarly shaped and spaced lugs 51 integral with the outer face of the ratchet 41. Such clutch sleeve 49 is shifted on the shaft 48 by hand into and out of driving position with the ratchet 41, and since the coacting sockets 50 and lugs 51'are made with square corners, there is no tendency to disengage when dovetailed together Vin normal operationas shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The shaft 48 is intermittently rotated by the following mechanism: Fastened to the outer' end of the shaft 48 by the washer 52 and screw-bolt 53 is the rockdever 54 carrying the pivoted pawl 55 to engage the ratchet 56 fastened to the shaft 48. The lever 54 is actuated by the rod 57 pinned to the arm 58 of the lever 54, and this rod 57 is connected to the crank pin 59 mounted on the inking drum 60 which carries the gear 61 rotated by the pinion 62 engaging Vthe gear 63 Von the press form-cylinder 64. The gear 61 engages the pinion 65 which actuates the gear 66 on the distributing rollV 67, all as shown in Fig. 5. The ductor roll 68 is oscillated in the usual manner between the fountain roll11 and distributing roll 67. By this mechanism when the clutch sleeve 49 is in coacting engagement with the ratchet 41 as shown in 1, 2 and 7) which engages the'roller 71pinned pawl 55. The collar to the inner side of the 69 is provided withthe handle 72 and also has the teeth segment` 73 vadapted to be engaged by the locking pin 74 threaded through the bracket 75 mounted on the bracket 46.` By this device the operative throw of the pawl 55 in engagement with` the ratchet 56 may be varied to control the extent ofrotation of the shaft 48 in the normal running of the press, or the pawlv 55 may be lifted entirely away from the ratchet 56 when it is desired to detach thedrive coupling sleeve 50 from the ratchet 41 in order to rotate the fountain roll 11 by hand through the handle 44, or to bodily shift the fountain roll 11 with relation to the stationary doctor blade 24 without affecting in any way the hereinbefore described driving mechanism forrsuch Vfountain roll which remains rigidly fastened to the sides 21 and. 22

of the fountain 9 and on the framework 8. i

Changes and variations may be made in the construction shown and described without departing from the principles of the invention or sacrificing itschief advantages, and hence such invention is not to be conned to the construction shown in the accompanying drawings.

I claim as my invention 1. In an ink-fountain, a fountain roll, means for rotating same, means for shifting said roll bodily with relation to said fountain, and a detachable coupling between said roll and rotating means whereby the roll-shiftin means may be actuated independently of sai rotating means.

2. In an ink-fountain, a fountain roll, a doctor blade coacting therewith, means or rotating said roll, means for shifting said roll bodily from and to said blade, and a detach able coupling between said roll and said rotating means whereby said roll-shiftingmeans may be actuated independently of said rotating means.

3. In a printing-press, an ink-fountain comprising a fountain roll, a doctor blade coacting therewith, press-operated means for rotating said roll in operative position with said blade, means for shifting said roll bodily away from operative position with the doctor blade, and a detachable coupling between said roll and said press-operated means whereby said roll-shifting means may be actuated without disturbing the operative relation of said roll-rotating means actuated from the press.

CARL G. PRITCIIA'RD. 

